US Property Scandal: Timi Frank Urges Tinubu To Suspend, Probe Wike Now

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Thursday, called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently suspend Nyesom Wike as minister of FCT and cause investigation to be carried out
on his US property scandal.

Frank who made this assertion in a statement in Abuja, called on the President to break his silence on the scandal and demonstrate the same commitment to accountability like the way he acted swiftly and unequivocally in suspending former cabinet minister Betta Edu over corruption charges far less serious than those now confronting Minister Wike.

According to media reports, Wike allegedly acquired property in Florida, and to hide the assets, he allegedly registered them under his wife’s name, Justice Eberechi Wike, and children, Joaquin, Jazmyne, and Jordan.

According to the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle, President Tinubu’s silence in the face of overwhelming evidence of the houses in public domain is troubling.

“With detailed reports from credible sources such as People’s Gazette and Sahara Reporters, and with glaring evidence ignored by anti-corruption agencies like EFCC and ICPC, it sends a dangerous message that some officials are untouchable,” he lamented.

He urged the President to be aware that impunity and arrogance of government officials like Wike weakens citizens trust in governance and contribute to revolts like the Nepal uprising.

He commended Omoyele Sowore of Sahara Reporters and the Publishers of People’s Gazette for their courage in exposing corruption in the country, irrespective of serving government officials involved.

He warned Tinubu not to make any official in his cabinet feel as if they are untouchable or they are God.

He stated that the Presidency represents the integrity of Nigeria and must uphold the principle that no one is above the law, regardless of political alliances.

Frank added: “The reasons behind this continued inaction in the case are of Wike appear tied to the political calculations surrounding the 2027 presidential elections.

“However, allowing political ambition to shield corruption will irreparably harm Nigeria’s reputation internationally.

“The world is watching, and this selective justice undermines investor confidence and portrays Nigeria as a nation unable or unwilling to fight corruption—even within its highest offices.

“Furthermore, even when crises erupted in Rivers State, President Tinubu suspended only Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the House of Assembly members while leaving the Minister of FCT, Wike, untouched.

“This inconsistency fuels suspicions of favoritism and political shielding. Nigerians and the international community deserve to know why the President appears reluctant to confront alleged corruption linked to a close political ally.

“Selective enforcement of the law erodes national pride and makes Nigeria a laughing stock among peer nations, many of whom prosecute corruption allegations without hesitation.

“We urge President Tinubu to immediately suspend and commission an independent investigation into Minister Wike, just as was done with Betta Edu.

“The President should protect the dignity of Nigeria and the trust of its citizens by rejecting selective justice and political expediency. The integrity of Nigeria’s governance and its image on the global stage depend on it.”

By Adeko Ukpa

African Telescope reports that a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Tuesday, described President Tinubu’s directive on the release of minors arrested and detained during the #EndBadGovernance protests as a step in the right direction.

Frank who made this assertion in a statement in Abuja, however, urged the President to equally order the release of all detainees being held for exercising their constitutional right to protest against bad policies of government because the “President is known to have embarked and led series of protests during the pro-democracy struggle and in 2012 when the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan removed fuel subsidy.”

He urged the President to equally reverse some of his bad economic policies like the floating of the naira and outright removal of fuel subsidy which have  brought untold hardship in the country and worsened the condition of living of majority of Nigerians.

He expressed commitment to commend the President when he takes a positive step in governance and criticize him when his action is against the wellbeing of the generality of Nigerians.

He called on the Federal Government to compensate the minors, after release, for violating their fundamental human rights and cruelty meted on them by the police who detained them for over three months under dehumanizing conditions without trial.

Frank said: “We warmly welcome President Bola Tinubu’s decision to order the immediate release of minors arrested during the #EndBadGovernance protests from detention.

“The President’s action acknowledges the concerns of Nigerians and the international community regarding the treatment of protesters, especially minors.

“However, we also call for accountability and reform within the intelligence community.

“The fact that minors were detained for over 90 days without prompt attention from the President’s office raises concerns about the effectiveness of our intelligence agencies.

“We urge the President to investigate this lapse and consider replacing intelligence chiefs who failed to bring this matter to his attention.”

He demanded that the probe ordered by the President should start from the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the Commissioners of Police in-charge of Kano and Kaduna states who arrested the minors.

“This probe must not be swept under the rug, we shall monitor to ensure that the findings are made public and appropriate sanctions meted out to officers found to be complicit,” he said.

Besides, to ensure adequate justice for the victimised and oppressed minors, he urged the Federal Government to provide financial assistance to their families, offer the minors scholarships and enroll them in reputable boarding schools to help them overcome their traumatic experiences.

“The minors should also be availed the services of professional counsellors to address any emotional or psychological distress.

“By taking these steps, we can begin to heal the wounds of the past and build a more just and compassionate society for all Nigerians,” he said.

By Adikwu Samuel Ebo

In all rational and workable institutions where indelible marks and precedence are considered as top priorities, every result oriented leader and manager on assumption of duty should carry out extensive research, vetting, stock taking, auditing and comprehensive appraisal of human and material resources in the organization in order to reposition them for efficient and effective service delivery.

Also, it is not an unusual statement or arguable proposition to assess that proficient results are not easily obtainable by haphazard approach to core objectives, rather it should take mental investment with well focused, mapped out strategies, formation of virile team and ardent adherence to succinct principles and procedures.

Though, we are in a contemporary society, where the shallow minded hail men with hollow words for lofty and meretricious gains, sound minds however considered issue based facts and glaring achievement as the sure way to venerate laurels.

It is on this prominent realm that we brought to cynosure the notable achievements, modus operandi and forensic paraphernalia adopted by the Commandant General (CG)  of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Abubakar Ahmed Audi ( PhD) who assumed duty on 1st March 2021 after a thorough, rigorous and transparent selection process initiated by the Ministry of Interior and the Board to ensure the most suitable among the top ranking officers in the Service was appointed to replace the outgoing CG.

Audi, a well trained, cultured and nurtured Laminga-born achiever, a member of the Senior Executive Course 38 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), member, Institute of Fraud Examiners and member of Society for Peace Studies and Practices chosen to pilot the affairs of NSCDC is in tandem with the principle of putting a round peg in a round hole.

Audi, an intellectually resourceful Doctor in public policy whose name sends distress calls and thorns in the flesh of vandals and devourers of our National Cake is well prepared and equipped to reposition the institutions to enviable heights.

Over the years, before assumption of duty of the winsome leader, Audi, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) which is a paramilitary institution saddled with the responsibility of providing succour against threat and any form of attack or disaster against the Nation and her citizenry have not attained the expected heights in their performance due to seemingly debilitating factors.

Being a paramilitary institution, the personnel are supposed to undergo continuous capacity building training and development to meet up with the high rate of insecurity and other unwholesome activities in the country but the opportunity for such was slim.

Meanwhile, they are being sent to carry out complicated and herculean task like going after destroyers of public institutions, oil pipeline vandals, illegal miners, kidnappers, rapist, herders/farmers conflict, brigandage and other heinous crimes that makes the society precarious and unhabitable.

The institution did not have enough working tools, good office space and operation vehicles to carry out such critical assignments.

The staff were not well motivated and promoted when due and there were heavy backlog of their salaries and allowances.

Consequently, the personnel kept murmuring, yelling, honking like goose and throwing tantrums in the process of discharging their lawful duties.

The cardinal and prominent areas that was conspicuously missing was female inclusiveness in arms training and handling.

These and many more despairs were notable inherited challenges and blurred vision crippling the effective performance of the institution.

The results oriented Audi who has learnt the ropes over time is adequately informed and prepared to leave an unprecedented legacy in the showroom of achievers where generations even yet unborn will peruse and emulate.

The consummate intellectual, upon resumption has carried out personnel auditing to capture the exact number of the corps in preparation for their welfare and to avoid ghost workers.

The strategic thinker, reorganized the management team, the DCGS, cadre, ACGS, State Commandant, Zonal Commandant and other departments to enhance discipline and cross interaction.

Several Corps who are being tested, trusted and proven above board with track records to handle critical assignments are  deployed accordingly to key areas that their services were desired.

To achieve fervent interaction, brainstorming, cross-fertilise ideas and information dissemination to keep the organization abreast with the happenings in tandem with global practices, the master planner Audi, introduced quarterly and yearly Commandant Generals’ conference for men and officers of the Corps.

He also established Commandant Generals Intelligent Squad (CIS) to combat the activities of vandals.

To boost intellectual training and capacity building, the fountain of knowledge, Audi established Civil Defense staff Command college in Jos, Plateau State to offer vast training in all spheres of the institutions.

The fourth Commandant General of the Corps, Dr Ahmed initiated and provided a conducive platform for Special Female Squad (SFS) to train the female folks on arms handling.

In consonance, Audi initiated and established NSCDC Arms squad training school at Mararaba Udege  in Nasarawa State for free training and handling of arms and safety in combating skills.

Audi also initiated a special force for tactical and technical assignments that is so virile and superb to the point that they could offer training services to Nigeria Airport Security and other private security firms in the country.

The skillful manager of National resources after careful considerations of other sources of income, which is Agriculture and solid minerals, decided to reform Agro-Rangers Squad to protect crop farmers and manage all forms of conflict with the herders and other bandits.

He established Mines Marshall to combat the menace and maniac demeanor of illegal miners activities in the country.

As an educationist who fathom the superiority of education as the bedrock of development of the Nation, he initiated Safe School Squad to checkmate, protect and defend innocent school children against kidnappers, child abuse, molestation and other vices in the schools and environ.

Remarkably, there are over 1,254 arrested vandals and criminals, 704 prosecuting offenders and 142 convicted between 2021-2023.

There are over 218 illegal refineries destroyed under the watch of ‘Mr Result’, Audi.

The compassionate and morale booster Commandant General do not keep deaf ears to the plight of the families who lost their breadwinners as corps during their lawful duties.

Audi provided an unflinching support to countless families that lost their loved ones.

The same gesture goes to the injured, incapacitated and even the pensioners are adequately cared for by Audi’s welfare policy.

Indefeasibly, it’s quite a seamless task to trade on blame games, utter censorious commentary and buck passing in a scenario that presents unfavorable and unpleasant challenges to us.

Though, Audi has done sigficantly well since assumption to duty but no doubt there are still vacant rooms for improvement as he continues to discharge his onerous task for the Nation.

Unarguably, it’s only the Supreme that is Omni perfect and error-free

However, as we pray for improvement in the scheme of things from the renowned CG let us be weary of the campaign of calumny, deluge of jettison, humiliation, vituperation, castigation and ‘operation pull him down syndrome’ and focus more on Audi’s strength and laudable scorecards instead of weaknesses.

We should all be mindful of the fact that fighting crimes to attain rancour free society is a collective responsibilities of all and sundry.

Let us join hands and form a formidable team with Dr Audi, to achieve this noble goals of building egalitarian society where people could go about with their normal businesses without threat, molestation and intimidation from any quarter.

Adikwu Samuel Ebo

Public Affairs Analyst

Abuja.

adikwusamuelebo@gmail.com.